Blu-ray Review: Four Weddings and Funeral

Director Mike Newell’s (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral is classic British romantic comedy, paving the way for a whole series of British rom-coms that have enjoyed popularity in the U.S. Written by Richard Curtis (Blackadder) and starring Hugh Grant as Charles, who went on to star in several of Richard Curtis’ films, including Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones Diary (2001) andLove Actually (2003).

Four Weddings also was the film that secured Grant’s status as the go-to guy for playing awkward, slightly bumbling, yet completely endearing romantic types. Andie MacDowell co-stars as Carrie, Grant’s love interest, the only American in the British cast, which includes Simon Callow (Gareth), Kristen Scott Thomas (Fiona), and John Hannah (Matthew).

Now available on Blu-ray from MGM Home Video, Four Weddings follows Grant’s character Charles through 18 months of his life as a single 30-something as he attends a series of weddings along with his close circle of friends. Each wedding has its own set of disasters and amusements, from the service through the reception, during which we learn more about Charles and company both in their own actions and their often-droll and ironic commentary about the events surrounding them.

But weddings often seem to have a romantic effect even upon the most confirmed single person, and one by one, Charles’ friends succumb to the idea of marriage.

At wedding #1, Charles meets American Carrie (MacDowell), with whom he becomes quite smitten, falling into bed with her as they are swept up in the romantic environment. But she’s soon off, back to the U.S., and by the time he sees her again back in the U.K—and at the next wedding—she’s engaged to a very wealthy Scotsman much her senior. Their relationship plays through the next events, until Charles comes to an important decision at his own wedding ceremony.

It’s a neat story structure—following the lives of this close group of friends only as they attend a series of weddings, including their own—and of course the funeral (which is, itself, connected to one of the weddings). There is nothing really profound here, but an awful lot of fun. But the film also works as a character study on the urge to mate for life, whether for love or out of duty—or out of a need to fill a void. Getting married is what happens, quips one of the Charles’ comrades, when you run out of conversation.

The performances are all first rate. A comic turn in a small, but significant part, by Rowan Atkinson (Blackadder, Mr. Bean) as a bumbling neophyte priest is priceless, particularly as he performs one of the ceremonies, conferring his blessing in the name of the “Father, the Son, and Holy spigot…sprit.” It is one of the funniest bits in the entire film.

Pre-English Patient Kristen Scott Thomas is perfect, playing to type as an upper-crust ice queen, and Simon Callow (Phantom of the Opera) is wonderful as Scotsman Gareth. John Hannah’s David provides one of the film’s few moments of real poignancy reciting W.H. Auden’s “Funeral Blues” during the funeral scene referred to in the movie’s title.

But this is Hugh Grant’s film (he won the Golden Globe for best lead actor in a musical or comedy). And here he refines his signature film persona, progenitor to his Edward Ferrars in 1996’s Sense and Sensibility, and beyond.

Four Weddings and a Funeral is a character study, relying more on dialogue and reaction than on action and effect. So, the presentation in Blu-ray is, although an improvement over the standard definition rendering of the film, doesn’t really make a huge impact. The muted-color, soft-focus movie doesn’t really test the technology, and although it looks and sounds great, there is nothing that really stands out as an “Oh wow!” moment.

Presented in 1080p, with a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the transfer to Blu-ray doesn’t really pop out which in the way one usually associates with a high-definition release. This is not necessarily a criticism, and certainly not a shortcoming for the release, as the movie is less about effect and more about the character interactions and growth as seen over the 18-month course of the story line. The same may be said of the DTS-HD 5.1 surround audio. The sound is crisp and perfect, but again, does not need to make use of the power of the audio technology.

The release is accompanied by a few extras, including a commentary track with director Newell and Writer Curtis, as well as a featurette on the making of the movie—and a reel of deleted scenes. Nothing spectacular, but all of interest to fans of the movie or its actors and creative team.

Four Weddings and a Funeral is still as delightful as it was when released in 1994, and this Blu-ray release is a great way to see the movie for the first time—or to enjoy it again.

About Barbara Barnett

Barbara Barnett is Publisher/Executive Editor of Blogcritics, (blogcritics.org). Her Bram Stoker Award-nominated novel, called "Anne Rice meets Michael Crichton," The Apothecary's Curse The Apothecary's Curse is now out from Pyr, an imprint of Prometheus Books.
Her book on the TV series House, M.D., Chasing Zebras is a quintessential guide to the themes, characters and episodes of the hit show. Barnett is an accomplished speaker, an annual favorite at MENSA's HalloWEEM convention, where she has spoken to standing room crowds on subjects as diverse as "The Byronic Hero in Pop Culture," "The Many Faces of Sherlock Holmes," "The Hidden History of Science Fiction," and "Our Passion for Disaster (Movies)."